Vehicle-frame.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYJ.

J. H. HAND.

VEHICLE FRAME.

APPLIOA'I'IOH rum) 11.111. 31, 1910.

Patented N0v.2 8, 1911.

a 2. 111 1 lllxmrll 11115111111iiiirliiiv W TNESSES- 5 EVA-.1

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

2 SHEETS-BREE! 2.

JNVENTOR.

.4 TTORNEYJ J. H. HAND.

VEHICLE FRAME.

nrmonxon FILED 11111.31, 1910. 1,01 0, 1 38.

W1 TNE SSE S.-

JESSE H. HAND, OF ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Application filed March 31, 1910. Serial No. 552,545.

1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J nssn H. HAND, citizen of the United States,residing at Ann Arbor, county of VVashtenaw, State of Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vehicle-Frames, anddeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the.same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertainsto make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a partof this specification.

This invention relates to vehicle frames.

It has for its object an improved construction of frame for automobiletrucks.

In the truck in which the invention is embodied there is a rigidly builtrectangular frame carried by spring supports on four independentsub-frames, one for each wheel; of the four independent frames, the twowhich are at the front are each pivotally connected to the main frame,and the short axle of each wheel is connected by a universal joint witha live axle that crosses the main frame; the two wheels at the frontremain parallel to each other, but may swing to an angular relation tothe transverse axle. The vertical axis of the pivot which connects thesub-frame to the main frame, and the vertical axis of the universaljoint connection between the wheel and the main axle are in alinement.Each of the four wheels is on a short axle, which is supported, at bothsides of the wheel, in the bearings of the sub-frame; the Wheel andsub-frame oscillate together in the operation of steering; the two rearwheels oscillate in the same manner as the front wheels, but in thereverse direction. To provide for a slight yielding movement of thetransverse axle with reference to the main frame, the transverse axlesare free from the main frame, except that they are arranged betweenhangers which prevent oscillation of the transverse axle in a horizontalplane, and allow a slight oscillation in a vertical plane transverselyof the frame.

Figure 1, is a plan view of the vehicle frame. Fig. 2, is a sideelevation. Fig. 3, is a cross-section through the main part of the frameand an elevation of the axle and wheels. It ma be considered as taken atthe line 3-3 0. Fig. 1, but inasmuch as the front and rear part of thevehicle frame are exceedingly similar, it would show the same parts inconnection with the rear axle. The only distinction between the frontand rear axles in construction is that one contains the parts of thesteering gear which are not used with the other. Flg. 4, is a sectionaldetail of the steering connections.

The side beams 1, 2 of a frame are united by cross-beams 3 and 4 whichcross the frame directly above the front and rear axles. Other crossbeams and braces 21, 22 may be placed across between the side beams atany place, but their presence or absence is entirely immaterial to thecarrying out of the invention, and is material only as to making theframe properly strong. The main cross beam 3 over the front axle isbraced to the side beams by braces 5 and (3 on the one side and 7 and 8on the other (the rear cross beam 4 is similarly braced and tied).

A description of a single one of the subframes and its connections tothe main frame will enable one to understand the entire truck, andtherefore the description will be limited to one of such frames, and tothis description will be added a description of the several sub-framesin their connection with the main frame. The sub-frame is made oflongitudinal bars 11 and 12 and longitudinal springs 13 and 17. Thespring 13 is coupled to the bar 12 by shackles 1 1 and 15, and thespring 17 is coupled to the bar 11 by similar shackles (not shown in thedrawing). The bars 11 and 12 are coupled together by a member 18, whichas a single piece connects both ends of the bars 11 and 12. and the twoend portions of the single uniting member are themselves connected by anarched yoke 19 that is pivotally con nected by means of pivot 20 withthe end of the cross beam 3. Integral with the members 18 is an archedmember 9, provided with a rack that engages with the pinion 21 (seeFigs. 3 and 4) on a vertical arbor 22*. The rack is concentric with thepivot 20, and the arbor 22 is midway between the ends of the cross beam3, while the pinion 21 engages with the rack portion of the member 9 aswell as with the rack on the member 10, thereby actuating both wheelssimultaneously. The two frames coupled to the two ends of the crossmember 3 engage the single pinion 21 on the shaft 22' and a similarpinion 21 is engaged by similar arched and racked bearing yokes 9 and 10on the rear axle. The shaft 22 and its correspondent member on the rearshaft, which is not specificall illustrated, since it is of the samegenera construction, are each provided with miter pinions which gear tomiter gears 23 and 23* on the end of a long shaft 23 that extends fromthe front beam 3 to the rear cross beam 4. The rack yoke 9 is supportedby a bearing hanger yoke 24 and travels between anti-friction rolls, ofwhich 26 is beneath it supported by the hanger and 28 is above itsupported by the cross member 3. The pinion 21" is driven for steeringpurposes by a post 30 provided on its upper end with a hand wheel 31 andcoupled to the top of the post 22 by a universal joint coupling 32.

In each sub-frame are the bearings for the wheels. In the sub-framewhich has been referred to for purposes of description, wheel A isprovided with a hub through which extends an arbor 34 joined by auniversal coupling 35 to the axle 36, which axle itself is driven by ashaft 37 from the engine 38 that connects with ordinary differentialgearing (not shown) in the casing 39. The arbor 34 is in fixed relationto the wheel A and rotates in bearings 40 and 41 which are secured tothe springs 13 and 17; additional springs 42 and 43 are interposed abovethe bearings between them and the frame bars 11 and 12.

In this frame construction each wheel is journaled independently on bothsides of its hub, in a sub frame of which in the entire vehicle thereare four and these four subframes are adapted to be shifted for steeringpurposes independently, but are coupled in front and rear pairs. Thewheel at the front is arranged to be turned in one direction and thewheels at the rear in the other direction, making a very short turningmovement and a very short turn as regards ground distance covered duringsuch movement. The wheels supported on both sides are balanced and thedouble pivotal connection between the sub-frame on the one part and theaxle and main frame on the other part make the entire frame very stable.The axle 36 is shackled to prevent its taking a relation of angularitywith respect to the long axis of the frame by hang s 46 which allow thenecessary vertical oscillation of the axle 36 but prevent horizontaloscillation thereof. Each hanger 46 preferably consists of two parts orbranches, one at the front and the other at the rear of the axle withwhich it engages, and with an opening between them in which the axle canoscillate.

What I claim is 1. In combination with a main vehicle frame, a sub-framefor each wheel, pivotally connected with said main frame, said subframesbeing toothed in the center of their horizontally arched portions,traction wheels rotatably journaled in said sub-frames, axles for eachpair of wheels, said axles having hinge connections at their ends withthe wheels, whereby the rotative movement of the axle may becommunicated to the wheels irrespective of their angular position withrespect to the axle or to the vehicle body, a pivoted gear wheel mountedbetween the adacent toothed portions of each pair of sub frames, withits teeth in engagement therewith, a lengthwise extending shaft carryinggear Wheels in engagement with said pivoted gear wheels, and a steeringmember operatively connected with said shaft whereby said shaft may berotated in either direction, thereby actuating said sub-frames and theirwheels accordingly, substantially as described.

2. In a frame for vehicles, in combination with a rigid frame body,wheel axles rotatably supported therebeneath, independent sub-framespivotally secured to the frame body, traction wheels rotatably journaledtherein, said wheels being connected with the adjacent ends of the wheelaxles whereby they may receive rotative actuation therefrom,irrespective of the angular position of the wheels and their supportingsub-frames with reference to the frame body, a longitudinal shaftextending between the adjacent inner ends of the horizontal portions ofthe sub-frames, and means operatively connecting said shaft and saidsub-frames whereby when the shaft is rotativet y actuated in eitherdirection its movement is communicated to said sub-frames to-effect achange in their angularity with respect to the mam frame and said shaft,substantially as described.

3. In a vehicle frame. the combination of a rigid frame body, tractionwheels therefor, independent subframes pivoted to said frame body,wherein said wheels are rotatably journaled, and whereby the frame bodyis resiliently connected therewith, rotatable axle members having hingeconnections at their ends with said traction wheels, whereby the samemay be rotatively actuated by the rotation of the axle member with whichthey are connected, a lengthwise extending rotatable shaft, meansoperatively connecting said shaft with the adjacent portion of eachsub-frame whereby, when the shaft is rotatively actuated, said subframes are swung about their points of pivoting to the main frame, and asteering wheel adapted to be manually actuated, whereby said shaft maybe rotated in either direction, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

JESSE H. HAND.

Witnesses:

CHARLES F. BURTON, VIRGINIA C. SPRATT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

